A closer look at the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project, Miami-Dade's newest commuter train

There’s the Tri-Rail, there’s Brightline — and soon, commuters in Miami-Dade will have another train option to get around without a car. 

Miami-Dade County is planning a separate commuter train called the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project. 

“The Northeast corridor is one of the five corridors that the county is advancing as part of the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit, or 'SMART' program. It’s a commuter service from Downtown Miami to Aventura with five stations along the way,” said Jose Cueto, Deputy Director of the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works. 

Trains on the Northeast Corridor would run along the existing Florida East Coast Railway tracks, starting at Miami Central Station in Downtown Miami and ending at the existing train station in Aventura. 

Local stops along the way include proposed stations in Wynwood, the Design District, Little Haiti, North Miami on 123rd Street and the Florida International University North Campus along 151st Street. 

The five new commuter rail stations will also have park-and-ride sites and will not displace any businesses or residences in those areas.

“It’s definitely a game changer to have world-class transit corridors and we’ve been working on that for several years," Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. "For everyday commuters, whether for work or for pleasure, we need these intermediate stops and that’s what this corridor will provide."

County officials said they have conducted surveys and various public information meetings to receive community input on this corridor, as well as released project fact sheets to over 8,000 residents near the proposed train stops. 

“I know Brightline only has a certain amount of locations that they can reach, so adding a third transit option would be awesome,” said Yordi Cleto, a commuter who rides public transit.

“I think it’s a good idea. Any more public transit is a good idea,” said commuter Pete Sir. 

“Look at Europe’s infrastructure with trains. So we can expand this and go further and it would make a big difference here,” said commuter Mike Lindine. 

At the end of September, county commissioners approved the funds with a plan to move forward on the long-awaited project. The total capital cost is $539 million dollars. 

“This particular corridor is expected to be just under half of federal funding, so 49%, the state giving 19% and local funds at 32% through the half-penny surtax,” Levine-Cava said.

The Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit line will help connect riders up to Broward and West Palm Beach, and transit officials say the ridership demand is there. 

“We expect 2.5 million riders annually the year it opens and over 5 million riders by 2040, so we’re building this project because there’s an acute need for mobility solutions within this corridor and within these areas,” Cueto said.

Fare prices on this transit corridor are still being discussed. The project is estimated to start construction in 2025 and service is set to begin sometime in 2028. 

More information on the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project can be found here.